Some integrated software systems for keeping sensitive records electronically have been developed and are in use, for example, by medical facilities for the storage of electronic medical records (“EMR”). These medical records, however, are often localized to the particular treating doctor or facility. For example, a patient may have a separate and unique medical record at each and every doctor's office and/or medical facility that she has visited. Therefore, each doctor generally does not have access to a patient's complete medical history when providing a diagnosis or a new treatment. This can often hinder a doctor's ability to select the best treatment for a patient.
Patient's medical records also contain a wealth of information useful for the research community. For example, each medical record generally contains detailed information such as symptoms of particular illnesses and the effectiveness of treatments which may not otherwise be accessible to physicians or researchers. Having blind access to such information could be invaluable in the search for new treatments and cures for many illnesses. Further, access to such data would provide physicians with an abundance real life data for use in evaluating treatment options for their patients.
A significant problem in the accessibility of medical records is the difficulty of synchronizing and updating the various instances of the patient's medical records. More important, however, are the security issues associated with sharing medical records. Most patients would likely be hesitant to make their records accessible, for treatment or otherwise, without being sure that the data is secure from unauthorized access and identification. Most patients would likely prefer to have complete control over authorizing who is permitted access. Other factors complicating the sharing or release of a patient's medical records include the regulatory requirements imposed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”). This regulatory framework, established by Congress, obligates physicians to maintain the confidentiality of patient records that identify particular individuals and any medical conditions they may suffer from.
It is therefore desired to provide a system and method for transferring, maintaining and updating sensitive data, such as electronic medical or health records. It is further desired to provide a means of blinding medical records to allow for the clinical use of anonymous medical information, such as for blinded research queries.